Eklipze3k said:

I would if I hadn't just spent £300 on a new TV instead, lol

Click to expand...

:idea3:idea:idea3:

tv in the boot, wired in, and a remap. you'll have a 165 bhp fiat television that can still do 45mpg, given that my tv does 0mpg, you'd soon make the money back in fuel costs :nutter:

another top gear, top tip there!!!!

very annoying, i had a car lined up today, it's now been sold

thats yet another ive missed out on, the 4th in near 2 months, it's a depressing search this!! hahaha

I know where theres a Coupe going for just under a grande!

Not got the money to go buy it though!

totally fed up with the lack of wheels now, the search has got incredibley boring, everything i want is south of london, i may however have stumbled across a v6 vec for mucho cheapness. or a 1.8 w reg vec is going cheap near me,either that or yet another 2.0 marea in Dark Blue (just how many are there?!?)

They all look the most likley options right now it seems

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1168759.htm ...saloon though.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1162963.htm ...bit of a drive, but could be fun

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1050351.htm ...course, this is what you really should get

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1172277.htm ...for a totally left field option

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1164842.htm ...again, a bit of a trek, but if you needed emergency transport of a wardrobe, it'd be fine.

...anyway, that's a few I saw in my daily browse of PH. Personally, anything below the midlands is a bit of a trek, but for the right car, I'd go national

muppet42 said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1168759.htm ...saloon though.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1162963.htm ...bit of a drive, but could be fun

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1050351.htm ...course, this is what you really should get

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1172277.htm ...for a totally left field option

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1164842.htm ...again, a bit of a trek, but if you needed emergency transport of a wardrobe, it'd be fine.

...anyway, that's a few I saw in my daily browse of PH. Personally, anything below the midlands is a bit of a trek, but for the right car, I'd go national

Click to expand...

Nice list price wise only the primera and vec saloon are do-able for me atm, that vec gsi estate looks rather tasty though

i have my eye on a calibra in ayrshire atm, but the price is a stretch, and its white...as good as they look in white, i don't fancy the 3 times a week cleaning if its wet weather

im convinced all calibras end up in devon or cornwall eventually, last week, i counted no fewer that 9 in that region on ebay.

my cause hasnt been helped by the fact fifth gear :tosser: championed it as a cheapskate alternative to an audi tt recently and proclaimed it to be near a modern classic, overnight less were on sale and the ones that were went up in price because people thought they were suddenly worth more! they aren't yet, but ive long predicted this would happen with them...seems for once i was ahead of the trend, now im unable to act on it.... the reason behind the cally idea is partly because when (or if) i sell it, i'll get a bit more than i paid for it, and i know my way round them having helped on my mates se2 numerous times, it ticks all the boxes that im looking for and is by far my preffered choice...if only it was italian!

It looks like i'm homing in on my new car FINALY!

it's pretty much a straight choice between 2 for the role of my fiat support vehicle

The 2 finalists are, a Vauxhall Vectra 2.5 v6 sport or a toyota mr2 gt rev 2.

both are with £20 of each other for a year insurance wise, both are a similar cost to buy. it all boils down to wether i want practicality over flair...

decisions decisions.........

my judgement is also being clouded by the fact there is also a last ditch bid from an outsider..... an alfa romeo gtv 2.0 twinspark, yes its more expensive to buy and insure...but its just too damn pretty to ignore!!!!

what price and spec for the vec? if you dont mind me asking.

£675, vec v6 sport, s reg. i know the sports were pretty random jobs, but there closest to sri spec?, done 102k miles, decent service history, 9 months mot, 5 months tax.

It has air con, no sunroof, electric front windows, trafficmaster, wheel mounted stereo controls, rear spoiler and those jazzy fabric seats with the pull out thigh support bit

i think this ones been lowered slightly, 16" alloys, black grille and tinted windows on top of the standard spec list.

Mrcento said:

It looks like i'm homing in on my new car FINALY!

it's pretty much a straight choice between 2 for the role of my fiat support vehicle

The 2 finalists are, a Vauxhall Vectra 2.5 v6 sport or a toyota mr2 gt rev 2.

both are with £20 of each other for a year insurance wise, both are a similar cost to buy. it all boils down to wether i want practicality over flair...

decisions decisions.........

my judgement is also being clouded by the fact there is also a last ditch bid from an outsider..... an alfa romeo gtv 2.0 twinspark, yes its more expensive to buy and insure...but its just too damn pretty to ignore!!!!

Click to expand...

The only car there that I've had first hand experience of is the GTV and I have to say if you buy a decent one, it's an alright car. BUT, it'll be more costly if something needs doing. The one's I've driven, both courtesy cars were disasters.

The first was a phase 2 with the later dash, but I think the engine was buggered as it had feck all acceleration. A rear wheel bearing was gone and half the trim was falling off. The dials kinda worked and the battery then died due to it being on it's last legs. Still, the inconvenience of that obligated the garage to give me a free MOT

The second was an earlier phase 1 and the engine pulled like it should. Sounded amazing too on standard exhaust and induction. I thought it sounded a bit like my mate's Mrs' MX5...proper sports car sound However, there was a loud clunking from the back (probably bushes), the gearchange was so horrible it actually creaked and the brakes and steering felt like they weren't properly connected.

I have to say though that for all the faults, I quite liked them. They had character I would just be terrified to run one as they really didn't feel like very sturdy cars, though even the phase 2 car was 10 years old.

Of the other 2 cars mentioned, I'd probably get the MR2...pop up head lights FTW! Quite like the sound of the 6 cylinder Vectra especially with a good exhaust on it, but I'd just have to go the sporty route. I mean, mid-engined, rear wheel drive...I just couldn't resist that. Is it a T-bar as well? If it is, even more reason to consider

that sounds a reasonable price, but check when the cambelt and tensioners were last done, its a pricey job at a garage, and a C*** of a job doing it youself.

snip the trafficmaster, its a pain in the a***
but yeah, just an sri

the mr2 isnt the t-bar, but it does have a sunroof, which was quite a rare option as most people specing them went for the t-bar as it wasnt much more expensive that opting for a sunroof on a standard mr2.

its pop up headlights and rear engine, rear drive fun are a huge factor tbh, as well as those slightly italian looks, and as a straight out car for driver enjoyment, it would win. but as far as winter transport goes? i can think of a good few hundred cars id rather drive on slippy wet roads than a car that tries to fire its arse into a ditch at the slightest provacation, haha , also the fact its a 2 seater may be a slight issue in time, i barely use the back seats tbh, but if i did need to, that would leave me with the cinq as a practical people lugger? hahaha, not ideal.

its also not a great deal faster than the vec, half a second or so to 60?, for the extra space, refinement and flexibility, the vec comes out on top...but if i let the heart rule the head, the mr2 will be the one i have the keys to soon, but it really is a tough decision, as i actually do really like the vec!! (and i never ever thought id say that!)

yeah, for the trafficmaster, i read a review that said it never once gave out a useful piece of info, infact, it told blatant lies that caused more arguments than the damn thing sloved, i never use any sort of road guidance, i just use my james may esque sense of direction to get me roughly close to where i want to go anyway, to hell with traffic jams, lol

iirc teh belts and tensioners were done just after last new year, but i'd check again before parting with the cash!

Mrcento said:

I actually do really like the vec!!

Click to expand...

Sig worthy!!!

stuarty said:

Sig worthy!!!

Click to expand...

bugger, now everytime you post, i'll be reminded of saying that!

LOL

stuarty said:

Sig worthy!!!

Click to expand...

lol

I have to say, a mate had use of his Dad's 2 litre phase 1 Vectra and it was rather rapid. Something like 137mph possible and 0-60 in something like 9 seconds. Lost him down back roads driving my Dad's 1-litre Uno, though think that was more down to the crap driving of my mate rather than the handling characteristics of either car

As I've said, I've heard a few Vectra V6s and they certainly sound pretty decent. Never driven one myself, though have driven a 57-plate of the newer type and wasn't too impressed. I guess it was just the claustrophobic cabin, but it didn't feel all that nice a place to be in. Cabin was well screwed together, but it felt really claustrophobic, probably because of all the dark plastics and such. It also felt rather heavy when I drove it and it was supposedly the SRi version. The 150hp 1.9 Diesel engine felt a bit overwhelmed. It wasn't slow by any means, just not that fast. Guessing the early car with the V6 and 170 odd horsepower should probably shift though what with less weight to shift about. It'll probably be more fun than a diesel as well

I know feck all about Vectras and only a bit more about MR2s, but I'm an impractical person, hence my reasoning for going for the Toyota. That said, practicality wise, go for the Vectra. Tis the sensible option if you're looking to transport anything more than a briefcase

muppet42 said:

lol

I have to say, a mate had use of his Dad's 2 litre phase 1 Vectra and it was rather rapid. Something like 137mph possible and 0-60 in something like 9 seconds. Lost him down back roads driving my Dad's 1-litre Uno, though think that was more down to the crap driving of my mate rather than the handling characteristics of either car

As I've said, I've heard a few Vectra V6s and they certainly sound pretty decent. Never driven one myself, though have driven a 57-plate of the newer type and wasn't too impressed. I guess it was just the claustrophobic cabin, but it didn't feel all that nice a place to be in. Cabin was well screwed together, but it felt really claustrophobic, probably because of all the dark plastics and such. It also felt rather heavy when I drove it and it was supposedly the SRi version. The 150hp 1.9 Diesel engine felt a bit overwhelmed. It wasn't slow by any means, just not that fast. Guessing the early car with the V6 and 170 odd horsepower should probably shift though what with less weight to shift about. It'll probably be more fun than a diesel as well

I know feck all about Vectras and only a bit more about MR2s, but I'm an impractical person, hence my reasoning for going for the Toyota. That said, practicality wise, go for the Vectra. Tis the sensible option if you're looking to transport anything more than a briefcase

Click to expand...

lol, not true, the mk2 mr2 has 2 boots remeber the rear one is bigger than a centos boot and the front one can take at least a tin of sprite beside the spare wheel

who said sports cars aint practical!

this vec is 0-60 in around 8 seconds iirc, the mr2 is 7.4 seconds, so neither are what you'd call sluggish the vec b is a far less claustrophobic car than the newest ones, plus it doesnt have those silly bloody indicator stalks all new vauxhalls have what stupid **** thought they were a great idea :nutter:

problem is, how long will it be before i either stick 3.0 cams in the vec, or decide to bung in a turbo engine into the mr2 :nutter:

must not tweak...must keep all tweaking for project cinq.......

any probs with the vec, and i will be able to help, if not, it wont be long till i find out what you need to know

and i got diagnostics

Mrcento said:

lol, not true, the mk2 mr2 has 2 boots remeber the rear one is bigger than a centos boot and the front one can take at least a tin of sprite beside the spare wheel

who said sports cars aint practical!

this vec is 0-60 in around 8 seconds iirc, the mr2 is 7.4 seconds, so neither are what you'd call sluggish the vec b is a far less claustrophobic car than the newest ones, plus it doesnt have those silly bloody indicator stalks all new vauxhalls have what stupid **** thought they were a great idea :nutter:

problem is, how long will it be before i either stick 3.0 cams in the vec, or decide to bung in a turbo engine into the mr2 :nutter:

must not tweak...must keep all tweaking for project cinq.......

Click to expand...

Ah, fair enough. Must be thinking of the newer MR2. Guessing even that's more practical than something like an Elise though.

And yeah, have been in a few of the older, curvier Vectra's and they always did seem more airy than the latest ones. I mean, the newer one's feel solid, certainly compared with a Corsa C I drove a while back, but as I say, it just felt claustrophobic. The dash felt closer to me than it does in the Stilo for example. It just surprised me that a car noticeably larger than mine felt so small on the inside.

well if your needing more persuation mate come have a shot of the rear wheel mayhem yourself

once the spare wheel and jack is out of the front there is quite a lot a room in the front boot and as for behind the seats its a regular little batcave back there